Radiator-testing device



Ot. 14, 1930. G. c. PEcK 1,773,553

RADIATOR TESTING DEVICE Filed NOV 16 1929 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 14, 1930 artnr OFFICE GEORGE C. PECIQOF GRANITE CITY, IILLIII'OIS RADIATORTESTING DEVICE Application. filed November 16, 1929. Serial No. 407,767.

This invention relatesto certain new and useful improvements in radiator testing devices, the peculiarities of which will be 'nereinafter fully described and claimed.

The main objects of my invention are to provide operative means for 'submerging a supporting table with a radiator or similar 'device thereon, subjecting said device to air pressure to test for any leaks, and raising it to make repairs; secondly, to rotate said table for convenient access to the leaks in said radiator; thirdly, `to cut olf automatically at a certain elevation the air pressure lifting said table;fourthly, to avoid carelessly testf ing the radiator above a certain testingpressure; fthly, to vary the indicated testing pressure as desired; siXthly, to provide a water seal for the lifting air; and seventhly, ,to provide effective construction for carrying out the above objects. V e,

In the accompanying drawing in which like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts, A 1

Fig. 1 representsa plan view of atub and r operating means exemplifying my invention 5 and Fig. 2, a central vertical section of said tub and lifting means, and side elevation of adjacent parts of my construction.'

The numeral 1 designates a tub vfor water., suitably supported at a convenient height above the floor bylegs 2. In the bottom of said tub is mounted a cylinder 3 ,upon a flanged base a on the floor. 'This cylinder contains aA suitable amount ofwater conveniently supplied through a pipe 5, to seal the lower end ofy a plunger mounted in said cylinder and extending upward in said tub. @n the top of said plunger is mounted table 7', preferably of latticerconstruction tolfacilitate submerging-- Y f This table is preferably rotatably mounted onthe top of vsaid plunger and isdisposed above the water level 'at and near the limit of stroke of said plunger. An automatic trip device for locating` the desired elevation of vsaid table willv be later described, but a safety limity stop is preferably provided for said plunger 'consistingof an inturned lip 8 on the bottom ofl said plunger thatis adapted to engage asleeve 9 as a limit stop. This sleeve or other stop is mounted on the upper end of a pipe 10 the lower end of which is supported in said buse 4 or otherwise and ex.- tends above the Water seal. The usual leather cup l11 is secured to the bottom of said plunger and guards its sliding joint in said cylinder.

Said pipe 10 communicates by an air pipe 12 with a three-wayvalve 13 which is supplied by air under pressure'from a main air rline la connected to a suitable source of compressed air. When said valve 13 admits air to the centrally disposed pipe 1G, the air pressure upon the water seal reacts on said plunger and raises it above the v-:atr level in the tub. Release of said air pressure by said `valve 13 allows the plunger and table to descend below the water and submerge an automobile radiator or other similar device 15 temporarily located on saiditable.

Said valve 13 is supported on a bracket 16 from the side of the tub, or otnerwise ad Yjacent thereto, so that a lever handle 17 on said valve, extends over said tub. A trip device for operating said handle automatically vpreferably consists of a lever 18 fulcrumed on the inside of the tub near the top and having one end 19 disposed in the path of the riefV ing table to' be lengaged `thereby while the other end 2O is then engaged with said handle 17, preferably by means of an extension 17 opposite the handle so as to close the valve 13 against air pressure.

Y The compressed air admitted to said plunger maintains it and the table at the desired elevation till the handle 177 is operated to release position which will allow the table to submerge. The weight of the heavierend 19 of said trip lever or other means causes .said end to descend to a lower position when the table descends, ready to be raised as above described when the table rises again by. operating the handle17 to the dotted position Fig. 1. I

Thesaid three-way valve 13 is also connected by a pipe 21 to an air storage tank 22 through a valve 23 in said pipe. Said main pipe 14 and pipe 21 aref cross connected by `a pipe 24 having valves 25 and 26 between tio which is located an air pressure gauge 2T on the interposed portion ot' this pipe 2li. le flexible hose connection 28 communicates With the interposed portion of the pipe 2e' and the pressure gauge thereon, While the other end of said hose is connected to the radiator l5 or other device being' tested on said table. The valves at the sides ot the pressure gauge, thus cut oli the compressed air from the hose when desired and admit it for testing.

Such storage tant: is supplied u."

th air through said valve Q3 or otherwise, to a pressure et not over l() lbs. as indicated on the pressure grange when val e 25 is opened. About 8 lb'. air pressure in said tank Z2 is the desired Working pressure for testing; an automobile radiator, and this pressure is admitted to the radiator when under Water Where any leaks are readily observed by air bubbles issuing' therefrom. Valve 25 is then closed and the testing' air is shut oil While the table with the radiator thereon is raised by throwing the handle i7 and admitting' air to said plunger as above oescribed. The table being rotatable alfords convenient aecess for repairing the leaks, and it is again submerged for further testing', by again opening` valve 25 after releasing' valve 13.

lV hen the pressure in said tank falls belov.v 8 lbs. by repeated use, the valve 26 is cracked to admit air from the main line and restore the desired pressure as indicated by the pressure gauge. Any water ot coiu'lensation accumulatiugV in said storage tank may be drained therefrom by a drain cock 29 in the bottoni thereof. t is evident from the above description that the storage tank may be charged to the desired pressure either from the three-Way valve 13 or the test valve 26 controlling' the high pressure from the main air line il, which is ordinarily about 75 lbs.

Another function ot the Water seal in said plunger is t-o retard the up and down movement of the plunger by the flow of the Water tlnfoug'h the reduced opening` in the bottom o1 the plunger t'ormed by the inturned lip 8. The annular opening lett around the air pipe l0 beine' subs intially smaller than the hollow plunger, the Water will flow slowly throuoh said openine' and le "sen tbe seed ol assen; and ci l 'or carried by the olunger.

The table removable from the plunger as to make it. convenient clea from the tub. Vlhe paclinp; at t L waere the stein ot the top c ina' enters the plunger prevents the air escaping in operation, While allowing' the table to rotate as before described.

I claim:

l. A radiator testing' device comprisiner a tub for Water, a movable table mounted therein for supporting' a radiator to be. tested, air-operated means for raising and loW- ering said table, Water sealing means ce- .,e and iff/stes operating,T with said air-operated means, and air pressure devices adapted to supply testing air to said radiator, substantially as described.

2. A testing device comprising a tub 'tor Water, a vertical movable table mounted therein for supporting a radiator for testing, means Ytor submerging and raising?y said table, air pressure devices adapted to supply testing air to said radiator, and a trip operated by the rising table to control said means and limit its upward movement, substantially as described.

3. A testing' device coniprising a tub tor Water, a vertically movable table mounted therein, a vertically operative plunger supporting` said table, air pressure pipes coinmunicating with said plunger, a valve in said pipes controlling' said plunger, and a trip device operated by the rising table adapted to close said valve and limit the rise oli' said table, substantially as described.

A. testing device comprising a tub tor water, a vertically movable table mounted therein, an air-operated plunger sup porting' said. table, an air valve having); a lever handle controlling said plunger, a trip lever fulcrumed on the side of said tub, having one end in the path of the rising table and the other end adapted to engage said valve handle and close it at a predetermined eleva tion of said table, substantially as described.

5. A testine' device comprising a tub tor Water, a. vertically movable table mounted therein, an air-operated plunoer supporting' i said table, an air valve having' a lever handle provided With'an opposite projection and controlling` said plunger, and a trip lever tulcrumed on the side ot said tub lia r one end in the path of the rising; table and the other end adapted to engage said prejeetion and close said valve at. a predetermined elevation of said table, substantially as described.

(i. A testing' device comprising a tub, a subinergible table for testing' a radiator' mounted thereon, means to operate said la lc, an air storage tank, air pressure pipes and gauge adapted to supply an indicated air pressure to said tank, a. flexible hose connection to said radiator communicating with said tanlr, and means to increase the indi cated pressure in said tank, sul'istzuitially as describen.

7. esting' device comprising tub,a sul 'mergible table for testing a radiator mount; ed thereon, an air-operated plunger pporting said table, an air `storagetanlr and 'liexible hose and pressure gauge communieating an indicated air pressure to said radiator, a main air line, a three-Way valve supplied by said line, and pipe connections from said valve to the storage tank .and plunger respectively, substantially as described.

v8. A testing device comprising a tub for Water, a cylinder mounted in the bottom of said tub and containing a Water seal, a plunger' in said cylinder extending into said tub, a submergible table on said plunger, an

air pipe in said cylinder extending abovel the Water seal, a three-way valve, a main air pipe to supply air pressure to said valve, a pipe from said valve to the air pipe in said cylinder means to limit the rise of said plunger' forming a safety limit stop, and air pipes under regulated air pressure connecting said valve and the radiator being tested on said table, substantially asdei scribed. l

9. A testing device comprising a tub for Water, a cylinder mounted in the bottom of said tub and containing a Water seal, a

plunger in said cylinder extending into said tub and having an inturnedlip at the b0ttom, a submergibletable on said plunger, an air pipe in said cylinder extending above the Water seal and having at the top a safety limit stop adapted to engage said plunger lip, a three-Way valve, a main air pipe to supply pressure to said valve, a pipe from said valve to the air pipepin said cylinder, and air pipes underrregulated air pressure connecting said valve and the radiator being tested on said table, substantially as described.

l0. A testing device comprising a tub for Water, a cylinder mounted lin the bottom thereof, a plunger in said cylinder ext-ending into said tub, a submergible table rotatably mounted on said plunger for supporting a radiator to be tested, means to operate said plunger, and air pressure devices having flexible connection to the radiator supported on said rotary table, substantially as described.

1l. A testing device comprisingr a tub for Water, a cylinder mounted Vin the bottom thereof, a hollow plunger in said cylinder eX- tending into said tub,-tbe. bottom end of said plunger being reduced in size, means to supply a. Water seal to said cylinder, an air pipe mounted in said cylinder extending` above the Water seal through the reduced end of said plunger, and means to supply and release air pressure to said pipa-the up and down movement of said plunger being retarded by the flovv of the Water seal through said reduced opening, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

GEORGE o. Prior; 

